Iridescent
by Mkeys927
Summary: Five years after the fall of Cocoon. Lightning and Fang find they have a bond that withstands the separation between different realms and life and death. It's time Lightning gets Fang back, but what will happen when she finds her? Rated M for Adult Themes
1. Chapter 1

_**Update: I've changed it to third person.**_

_**Author's Note: Yes, this chapter is very short, but it's just an introduction. If you guys listen to Iridescent by Linkin Park, it'll make a whole lot more sense. There's gonna be a theme in this story that goes along with that song... So, go take a listen :D**_

_***Rated M for a reason guys. Foul language, and adult themes later on. And I do not own FFXIII or anything affiliated with it, or its characters. Yeah.**_

Their Focus: completed after what seemed like an eternity of wrong turns and horrible timing. Just moments before they had witnessed Fang and Vanille become Ragnarok and save Cocoon – now they all stand together in their crystal slumber.

"Told you we could do it Sis!" Snow boasted, patting Lightning cheerfully on the back.

"I'm not your sister." She scoffed, brushing his hand off her shoulder. "We did it… but at what cost?"

_When you were standing in the wake of devastation…_

The former L'Cie found themselves on what seemed like a plateau that overlooked the newly crystalized Cocoon as well as Gran Pulse. Crystal dust air blew from every direction on top of the plateau, making visibility near nothing. They each peered off the edge cautiously, looking at the devastation that had been created.

Pieces of Cocoon had fallen before the crystallization had taken place and smashed on the floor of Gran Pulse – thousands of bodies could be seen from their throne in the sky.

"We killed thousands… possibly even millions for what? A better place?" Hope ranted, feeling conflicted about what the hell had just happened. "Moving to Gran Pulse and trying to live here will kill thousands more… and we're not even there to help."

Snow grabbed the teen by the shoulders, "Have more faith in humanity Hope, it's what allowed us to achieve the impossible. They will too." Snow's words were blown away by the wind and carried to each of the ex-L'Cie's ears.

"Wait a second," Vanille spoke up for the first time since they found themselves in their predicament, "Where's Fang?"

"Fang?" Lightning whispered. She looked around at her comrades, the people she trusted her life with. But she forgot to recognize that one very important person was missing. They all stood at the edge of the world, unmoving, just waiting for something to happen, waiting for the warrior to pop out of nowhere and scare the living crap out of everyone, waiting for her to pull her usual antics and make it all one big joke. But nothing – it was completely silent. Then Lightning spotted her, Fang was standing there, gazing over the edge into nothingness.

"Fang?" Lightning called after her. Another silent moments go by as the group look in the same direction.

"Lightning? No one's there." Hope said to her, grabbing her arm.

"No, Fang's right there, I see her." Lightning squinted, eyes burning from the dust in the air. "Fang!" Light ran after her.

"Lightning come back!" Snow yelled, about to run after her as well until Sazh held him back.

"Let the soldier girl go, she needs to find it out for herself." Sazh told the large man.

"Find what out?" Snow looked into the older man's eyes, trying to find reason behind his action.

Hope came from behind the two bickering men, "Have you guys seen Vanille?"

Sazh sighed before responding, "The girls. Fang and Vanille – they're not here. Either that, or she's the only one who sees them." The three men looked around, then back towards Lightning who's figure seemed to disappear within seconds.

Lightning was feeling hopeless as it seemed Fang was only getting farther and farther away the more her legs moved. "Fang!" She screamed, her heart was torn out of her chest and she stopped in her tracks when Fang looked back at her with apologetic eyes. _"What was she doing? Didn't she know that she could fall by standing that close to the edge?"_ Lightning moved her legs faster, pushed off the ground harder, used every fiber she had to get to Fang. But Lightning knew exactly what she was doing deep down, and she knew exactly what was about to happen.. She knew this was likely to be the last time she gazed into those emerald eyes, the last time she ever saw her, talked to her, laughed with her, _touched_ her. Lightning's heart raced, she could feel it pounding in each of her fingertips and through her chest. In the blink of an eye, Fang jumped over the edge just as it seemed she was within Lightning's grasp, and all that remained of proof of her departure were dust particles that she kicked up.

_Insides crying, "Save me now."_

In that moment Lightning made a decision, an instinctive decision with no plan. She lunged over the edge where her lover went just seconds ago. Diminishing quickly from her sight, all she could make out was Fang's deep blue sari fluttering as Fang plummeted towards nothing as what seemed like the mirage of Cocoon and Gran Pulse vanished. Fang was drifting further and further from her. _Fang_ was drifting away from _Lightning_. _"How could she just leave me?"_

"Fang, please don't go…" Lightning hoarsely shouted through the choking air, silent tears streaming down her face as she continued her downward plunge into the unknown chasing after someone who meant the world to her.

"Light, I'm sorry. Forgive me…" Lightning heard her, barely, but she heard her words. She was saying goodbye. She was leaving her.

_You were there and possibly alone…_

A blinding light above Lightning cast her shadow down to where Fang was, and just as soon as the light appeared it was gone. Seconds after, Lightning was tugged back roughly and bounced like a rag doll only momentarily, until she was slowly glided down in the arms of Bahamut.

She watched from above as Fang disappeared into a black body of water, leaving no trace of her existence except for the memories Lightning had in her mind, but even those wouldn't last forever…

_Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?_

Lightning screamed and jumped out of Bahamut's arms and onto a glacier that seemed to have only appeared there seconds ago, as well as the sudden drop in temperature. "Fang?" She scanned the pitch black water, but there was no sign of her, no air bubbles, not even a ripple in the water. The water itself was lifeless. There was nothing to it, it was the entrance into a black hole which knew no mercy.

"Fang..? Please Fang. Don't go. Don't go…" Lightning pounded her fists endlessly onto the hard, cold ice, soon turning it red from the numerous cuts that were appearing on her hands.

"Don't you dare leave me! You fucking promised! Damn it Fang… you promised me. You promised you wouldn't leave!" Lightning couldn't comprehend what just happened, "Please… Etro, please, give her back. Give her back…" She continued pounding on the ice, turning it entirely red from her blood, hoping that sooner or later, it would numb her pain.

_Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go…_


	2. Chapter 2

Lightning woke up abruptly, quivering under the burgundy loose fabric sheet she used as a blanket, sweat dripping from her forehead. She ran her hand through her strawberry pink hair, pealing the loose strands off of her sweaty forehead. _"It's been five years..."_ Lightning muttered to herself. Every year on the day of Cocoon's fall, she would have these nightmares. Maybe it was because she felt guilty. Once, Lightning promised Fang she wouldn't let anything happen to her, and now she's gone. But at the same time, Lightning blamed Fang for making me feel this way. Fang promised she wouldn't leave… and she never broke promises, right? Lightning spent the last five years searching endlessly for her, but it's as if she just… vanished. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by light footsteps coming towards her door. Suddenly, Serah burst through the door.

"Claire, are you alright?" Serah walked over to her bedside, and gave her a hug. Lightning rarely showed any emotions to anyone, and Serah wasn't the exception.

Lightning looked up and her azure eyes clashed with Serah's darker grey eyes. Quickly it became a battle to fight back her own tears. "I'm fine, don't worry. Go back to bed." Lightning broke eye contact and shook her head, trying to dismiss the tears that were begging to fall.

"Claire, was it the same dream?" Serah persisted, but Lightning just shook her head, unwilling to leak any information.

Serah grabbed her hand despite the lack of willingness to talk on her part, and began tracing circles on it with her thumb, trying to relax Lightning. "You know it wasn't your fault, and there was nothing you could have done." Serah paused; she was trying desperately to make eye contact with her sister, and she knew it.

"It doesn't hurt less knowing that…" Lightning shook my head slowly once more before she looked up to Serah with pleading eyes, silently asking her to leave.

Lightning wouldn't admit it, even though Serah knew the truth. It was the same dream, it always has been.

Serah nodded her head, she understood perfectly. "Alright, I'll be back to check on you later." She stood up, kissed her older sister on the forehead and left the room.

After she left, Lightning stood up and haphazardly made her way out into the hallway, only wearing brown shorts and a loose plain white t-shirt. She didn't know if she was still half asleep or if she was just weak - or maybe she was still drunk from last night. She made her way into the bathroom, using the wall as a means of support. She stumbled over to the porcelain sink, tripping over her own feet.

After what seemed like a short eternity, Lightning had finally made it to her destination. Lightning looked up at her reflection in the mirror. She was the same person she was a couple years ago, yes, for the most part. Her hair hadn't changed a bit, not even the length. She had made sure to keep it that way. However her eyes told a different story. They had lost the life in them; but there was still a flame burning steadily, fueled by anger and desire.

Lightning sighed as she stood there, staring at her own face. She splashed some icy cold water on to her face to bring her back into reality, and she shuttered slightly at the cold contact. _"Come on, you're fine."_ She began to say to myself, hoping that by saying it would make it true… But it didn't. Lightning shuffled slowly over to the tub and turned the shower on, instead opting to set its temperature to hot to relax. She stripped, taking an unusually long time to do so as she absentmindedly fumbled with her shirt as it got caught on her head. Once she was done she stepped into the already hot steady stream of water – sending goose bumps throughout her body because of the stark contrast of the temperature outside of the shower. She trembled slightly as her body acclimated to the temperature, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her own body while she waited. There was only one thing she ever thought of when she was like this – Fang, how it would feel if it were Fang standing behind her with her arms wrapped around her. Only Fang could make her feel so perfectly imperfect and needy, even when she wasn't even here.

Lightning wasn't able to enjoy it long enough, she was suddenly thrown head first into the wall of her bath tub as the house shook furiously. Not quite registering what happened, and ignoring the loud buzzing and dizziness that had quickly taken her, Lightning's mind went to her sister, "Fuck!" Lightning cradled her head with one hand, "Dammit… Serah? Are you alright?"

"Claire!" Serah shouted, and not long after she burst through the bathroom door, "You need to come see this. Now!"

Lightning quickly wrapped a towel tightly around her body and made her way down the stairs as steady as she could in back of Serah, embarrassed by the effort she had to put in to keep herself from tripping on air. Serah anxiously pointed at the television screen and hurried Lightning over next to her.

"Look…" She whispered to Lightning, quickly aware of Lightning's hangover as well as her newfound injury.

Lightning couldn't believe it. There is nothing that could relate to or express the surprise, happiness, and anxiousness Lightning had felt at that moment all in once. There it was. There _she _was. On television.

Lightning watched the T.V. for several more anxiety filled minutes, listening to overdressed anchormen and women explaining everything except what just happens. She continued to watch and habitually bit her nails only to have her hopes and dreams shot down. "_Vanille._ _Fang wasn't there. But, if Vanille was there, then where was Fang?"_

Cocoon lay in pieces behind the anchorman on the T.V., who was expressing his utmost sympathies to the families whose loved ones had decided to continue to live on Gran Pulse. There was also talk of one of the heroine who had awoken – who was now being laid on a gurney and transported to a nearby hospital. _Vanille._ There was no mention of Fang, it was as if she was forgotten. "_Like in my dream. She's been swallowed up and forgotten."_

Ligtning turned the television off and sat on the couch. "She's gone. She's really gone… I thought she'd show up when the crystal pillar fell but…"

_And in the burst of light that blinded every angel… As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars_

"Clai-." Serah cut off as a light shone through the windows, brighter than any summer day. "_That light, it's just like my dream..."_

"Turn the T.V. on!" Lightning shouted at Serah, "Now!" Serah ran at the T.V. and turned it on, only to see the source of the light was coming from the pillar, but no one was going near it, claiming it was "too dangerous."

_No one there to catch you in their arms._

"I'm going." Lightning said to Serah as she took a pair of jeans that were previously thrown on the couch as well as a t-shirt and put them on. She ran to the garage and grabbed the keys to her velocycle, and took off going far ahead of the speed limit.

The blinding light was reflecting off of the millions of shards of crystal on the ground, but there was still a large pillar standing which seemed to be where the light was coming from.

"Fang… I'm coming."

She rode as fast as her name implied; Lightning. She arrived shortly, as house was located about twenty miles away from the base of the pillar – which was nothing when her velocycle was going full speed. There was no one in sight, the area had been evacuated about twenty minutes ago. And the part of the pillar that had been standing up had now fallen down.

The area was a complete warzone. Every inch was covered in crystal, just like Oerba had been. The memories hit Lightning hard, remembering quickly what happened the last time she was in Oerba.

"Fang!" Lightning shouted, her voice echoed through the crystal ruins and rebounded back through her ears several times. The light was beginning to dim when she spotted a figure of a person laying on the ground.

"Fang!" Lightning ran as fast as the wind could carry her and fell on her knees next to her, rolling Fang onto her back. Fang lay there motionless, her sari tattered and her body bruised from what appeared to be from a fall.

"Fang are you okay? Speak to me, please!" Lightning lightly slapped her cheeks, and Fang's eyelids began to flicker open.

"Oh thank Etro… you gave me a fucking heart attack." Lightning pulled her head up slightly, tears flowing silently down her face. She brought Fang's lips to meet her lips, a kiss that had been five years overdue. Fang's hand came up to Lightning's neck where she stroked the flesh there, and they had kissed more passionately than ever before… but something was wrong.

Fang was the first to break the kiss. She spoke in a husky tone, "That was great Sunshine, but what gives me the pleasure of kissing such a beautiful lady?"

Lightning stared into Fang's eyes and saw something she never saw in Fang – emptiness, "Fang… It's me, Lightning. Don't you remember me?" Lightning grabbed her hand and squeezed it slightly, however she recalled it quickly.

"I… I can't say I do."

_You build up hope, but failure's all you've known…_


	3. Chapter 3

Lightning glared furiously at Fang, "Fang, please remember me, just try. You gotta try. You remembered everything before, it just took a while! You can't forget about me Fang. You can't forget about us!"

"Ligh-."

"Don't you fucking do this to me! Damn it Etro!" Light was furiously shaking Fang with a hint of murder in her eyes, which did scare the shit out of Fang. It's like looking in the face of a dozen of rabid gorgonopsids.

"_Claire._"

"Fuck… we'll get through this. Just like last time right? I'm not going to give up on you…" Lightning settled down a bit, but she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Fang's grin went wide and stretched from ear to ear, causing Lightning to glare incredulously at her. "Claire. I remember you. Calm down! I was just playing with you."

"I swear to Etro Fang. You're lucky I don't have my gunblade right now, you'd _wish_ you were still frozen in crystal." Lightning placed had a death grip around Fang's neck, threatening to choke the life right out of here and watch as she did so.

"Light… Can't… Breathe!" Fang gasped for air, and an evil grin sneaked along the contours of Lightning's lips.

"Oh, that's a shame now isn't it?" Lightning practically _giggled_ as she loosened her grip. Fang had waited what seemed like another five hundred years just to hear that again, just to feel her again.

Once Lightning had calmed down, Fang decided it was a good time to move in, "Come here…" Fang pulled Lightning back down towards her and suckled on her bottom lip as the pinkette moaned softly into Fang's mouth. The huntress's hands slid under her shirt and began to knead the flesh on her back and sides, soliciting another lustful noise.

"Fang…" Lightning moaned. She forgot how well Fang was with her hands. The warrior continued to rub the soldier's body, making her tense and shiver in just the right ways. It was exactly how she remember the last time – Lightning always reacted just the way Fang wanted.

"Nngh… not here." Lightning said when she realized she was almost at the point of no return. She moaned in Fang's mouth as she moved against her and Fang shifted underneath her, lifting her and carrying her bridal style to her velocycle.

"Whatever you want, Sunshine." Fang's grin turned feral and her emerald eyes swim with dark intentions. She sat herself on the velocycle behind Lightning and let Lightning drive back to her house. However, Lightning wasn't off the hook yet. Fang began her assault on Lightning's neck, placing kisses and sucking and nipping gently at her flesh while she snacked one hand up the front of her shirt.

"You keep doing that and you'll get us killed Fang." Lightning scoffed, becoming distracted by Fang's touching.

"At least we'll die happy…" Fang growled, causing shivers to run up and down Lightning's spine. After what seemed like hours of driving, they finally arrived at Lightning's house.

Fang opened the door to her house and their clothes were quickly discarded on their way up to the stairs - belt, boots, sari, bra, shorts, until the both of them were unclothed.

"Where's Serah?" Fang asked, panting as she pinned Lightning against the wall, pressing their bare bodies together.

"Not home... Went to see Vanille," Lightning managed to breathe out. Fang had a brief moment of worry for Vanille, until Lightning pulled her neck down and caught Fang's lips with her own, slowly bringing her hand up her tan body, starting at her hips and stopping at her breast, leaving a trail of goose bumps and molten lava in her wake as she pinched Fang's breast, which she couldn't help but moan at.

"I missed you..." Fang whispered in Lightning's ear as she left her mouth to suck on Lightning's neck, and then her collarbone, and then her sensitive bud on her breast.

"Fang!" She gasped and grabbed fistfuls of Fang's hair.

"Sunshine, I haven't even started yet..." She brought her mouth back up to kiss her once more, and then brought her hand down to Lightning's throbbing wet core, and plunged two of her long fingers inside of her tight center.

"Fang..."

Fang built up a steady pace inside of her, sure to bring her to the brink any second. She deserved this, and she was the one to give it to her. With each thrust of her hand, Lightning's hips thrust harder and faster, needy for more of her touch, along with her moans which grew louder and more frequent - she sounded like she was begging, and the last time Fang checked, she thought Lightning Farron didn't beg.

She began to grow agitated with her, for every time Fang felt her building up and getting tighter, she would slow her pace down to prolong what she truly needed. Fang was a tease, and Lightning knew it. However this last time she looked up at her with the most pleading look in her eyes Fang has ever seen... It was cuter than a little puppy. Who knew Lightning Farron begged, _and_ was as cute as a puppy? Fang decided it was time to give her what she was waiting for, curling her fingers and hitting her spot one last time, causing her to arch her back and come onto her hand as she she muttered sweet delicacies into Fang's ear...

"Fang... I love you."

* * *

><p>Fang flashed her eyes open, looking around the empty and rather silent plains. "Light?"<p>

Fang groaned and rolled onto her stomach, and realizing that it was only her damn dreams again, tears ran. "Not again..."

"Wait... Vanille?" Fang jumped onto her feet and grabbed my lance.

"Vanille!" Time passed. Nothing. Vanille was gone. Lightning was never here.

"Fuck! Etro! Let me out of here...!" Fang fell to her knees. "Let me be with her..."

Fang got back onto her feet, "_I'll just have to find my own way out of here. That'll be all."_

"_I walked for what seemed like hours - the landscape changes randomly here, it all depends on what you're thinking. For me, I'm always thinking about Lightning... I'm always in New Bodhum or Bodhum before Cocoon fell, and I'm always with her. We talk sometimes too, we talk about how we miss each other and how we'll be together somehow. I can't tell what's real and what's not anymore. Sometimes, I wonder if becoming a Cie'th would really have been bad - I mean if we had someone kill us, we'd just move on, right? At least I wouldn't have to sit in this eternal slumber, only able to watch what's happening but not being able to do anything. And damn, I miss her so much. I see her hurt everyday - she cries when she's alone. No one knows, but I do. I wish I could tell her I'm alright, that it wasn't her fault."_

"_Please Etro... Let me out of here."_


	4. Chapter 4

Lightning held Fang in her arms in the serene and lifeless place as she stroked her soft and beautiful face. The small creatures that used to roam around the pillar had disappeared, and now the light shone like the day Lightning first lost her. But she had her now, she was here, Fang was with her. But how was Lightning supposed to feel? She was shaking uncontrollably, as Fang lay unmoving against her body. She just had her… Fang was just with her seconds ago, and now she was as empty as the crystal she was once encased in. "_I almost had her..."_

"Fang? Baby… wake up. I'm right here." Nothing. No reaction. It didn't seem long ago when they were by each other's side, laughing about how everything will be better...

* * *

><p><em>The two stood on top of the old school house in Oerba, just before sunset. Lightning eyed the blood soaked bandages that were covering most of the right side of Fang's body, a reminder as to what happened earlier. They would need to be changed soon, and Lightning knew just how painful that would be. She adverted her gaze, not wanting to make the Pulsian feel uncomfortable or weak. The sun shone brilliantly on the crystal covered water and reflected light all across the tiny village. The only sign of life, besides the L'Cie there now, were the flowers that continued to blossom even after 500 years of nothing. Lightning couldn't take her eyes off the beauty of it. She also couldn't help but notice the elephant in the room – Cocoon. She pointed up to it, <em>"_Wow... that's what Cocoon looks like from down here?" _

_"Yeah," Fang, possibly one of the most interesting and exotic people Lightning had ever seen, was standing there with her chuckling. On Gran Pulse. "It looked a lot different last time I was here... you see, it didn't have that huge hole in it!" She motioned and pointed to the gaping hole, which she remembered just hours ago that she created._

_"Fang, can I ask you something?" Lightning walked closer to her, sliding her hand down her arm and lacing their fingers together._

_"Anything." Fang looked into her eyes adoringly. Her gorgeous jade eyes were all Lightning needed to know she had permission to speak as they seemed to glisten like diamonds._

_Lightning stood stoically, her face straight as she asked Fang something that had been on her mind, "How are you so positive about everything? Everyone and everything you loved now sits in ruins. I don't understand how you can lose everything, and still be yourself."_

_Fang gazed at Lightning, suddenly surprised by the unexpected question. She scratched the back of her head with the other hand that wasn't intertwined with Lightning's, and then pointed at her brand, "This thing reminds me of the promises I made, to not only Vanille but everyone else in Oerba. I promised to protect Oerba, which as you can see failed because I was so blinded by my focus... I woke up mad and angry at the world. At fal'cie and Cocoon. But I just realized that I can't go on living my life in anger and regret. I gotta live my life for Oerba, I have to make something of myself, or at least save Cocoon so I can prove I'm not only an Oerban, but a Yun. To prove I'm a Pulsian."_

_With every word she said, pride and happiness poured from her mouth. "Gran Pulsian." Lightning corrected her._

_Fang grinned and nodded, "Don't worry, everything will be okay... And I'm positive about everything because I have you, and I love ya' Light." She turned and pulled Lightning close with her good arm while lowering her head to kiss her. Lightning tilted her head up to her, and softly touched her lips to Fang's. It was the first time they kissed..._

* * *

><p>That was it. It was as if she wasn't in her body anymore. Lightning was moving without thinking or feeling, she picked Fang up behind her knees and back and began carrying her. Fang's face was lifeless, it was like the light and spark was literally drained from her. She was heavier than Lightning was, and she was barely able to carry her – no thanks to her fatigue – but it was something Lightning had to do. She needed to do this, because if it wasn't for her, she'd be wandering in eternity as a Cie'th.<p>

Reaching her velocycle, Lightning set Fang down on her lap while she sat down, and instinctively reached two fingers to Fang's neck to check for a pulse. It was faint, like the light knocking of a toddler's hand on a door, but it was there nonetheless. The once passionate, cocky Pulsian she knew so well was now just a victim of the trap that was her body. But she was there, somewhere inside. Somewhere.

"Hang in there Fang. I'm gonna help you, alright?" Lightly Lightning pressed her lips to hers, and quickly sped off, holding Fang against her with one arm and dangerously steering the vehicle with the other to the nearest hospital. She couldn't let my emotions get the best of her – not now. Up until she left, Fang's always been the rock that held me her, and Lightning couldn't let her down again.

"Someone, help her." Lightning raggedly huffed as she placed Fang onto a nearby stretcher and doctors soon flooded around them.

The doctor on call introduced herself to Lightning politely, "Hi, I'm Dr. Gainsborough. Can you tell me what happened?" Behind her, other doctors were struggling to put a tube down Fang's throat. _Smack._ Lightning felt a sharp pang in her chest as it seemed like her heart snapped in half. She couldn't even look at her like that.

Lightning nodded mutely, still only displaying a blank expression along her features. "She uh, was one of the women encased in the crystal pillar. I found her, and she was awake for a minute or two... and then there was nothing."

The doctor nodded, while filling in what was presumed to be a patient chart, "Do you know her name?"

"Oerba Yun Fang."

"What about yours?"

"Lightning Farron."

She stopped writing for a second and lifted her face to meet Lightning's gaze, "Ah. Vanille was telling me about you two. Shall I put you as her next of kin?"

She thought for a minute, wondering if it would be right for her to make any decisions on Fang's health. "That's fine..." She replied blandly.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Lightning looked over to where the doctors were now hooking Fang up to all sorts of machines, leaving her heart heavy.

"She didn't remember me..." Lightning said softly, saddened by the thought that she had no one to share their memories with… saddened by the thought that the person she promised herself to would never remember it.

Dr. Gainsborough wrote that last part down in her notes, "amnensia" and closed the notebook. "Why don't you go sit down in the waiting room while I assess Fang?"

Lightning shook my head roughly, "No, I can't leave her. Not again..."

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, but I really can't ha-"

Lightning snapped at the doctor, "I'm not leaving, and I don't think it'd be a smart idea trying to force me out of here either." She wasn't afraid to beat down some no-brained body guards. In fact, it'd be nice to snap some necks right about now.

She looked at Lightning and sighed, before swiftly turning away from her, "Fine."

"Fang?" Lightning sat down next to her and slid her hand under hers. There were multiple machines beeping and making noises, along with the huffing noise the breathing machine made, the heart monitor, the machine that monitored brain function, along with others that Lightning had no idea what they did. She looked... _dead._

"Fang, do you remember when we were on that bridge in Palumpolem? Remember how you told me you'd tear down the sky for Vanille... how you were willing to do anything to get her back?" Lightning waited for a response - as if she was going to get one, "Fang, I'll _tear_ down the _sky_ and everything else to get you back. I know you're in there, and I know you're fighting. Don't you dare give up, and neither will I."

A nurse brought in a blanket and a pillow and laid it next to her, and Lightning set up on a chair she had pulled next to Fang's bed as Dr. Gainsborough walked in.

"Ms. Farron?" She lightly knocked on the door to get her attention.

Lightning looked up slightly, still dazed from all that is happening and still unable to shake the need of sleep from her eyes. Her world was falling apart all over again... "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with her now?" Lightning asked groggily.

She silently walked up to Lightning, her long braid swaying as she walked. "I'm sorry... she has fallen into a coma. There's not much we can do but wait and hope."

And again, Lightning's life shatters. "There's nothing...? She was just here two seconds ago!" Lightning yelled, nearly in tears.

"No Ms. Farron, I'm truly sorry." Was the last thing she said before she left the room, leaving Lightning alone to sit and think.

She squeezed Fang's hand, "Please come out of this. For me, for Vanille, for the wellbeing of this fucking planet because I swear to God Fang, if you don't come back, I'm not sure there'll be a place to come back to." Lightning got out of her chair and gently moved Fang to the side, along with the wires and tubes, and laid down next to her. Pulling the blankets up, she wrapped her arms around Fang and nuzzled her neck into the crevice of her neck, ignoring the tears that were falling.

"I'll find some way to bring you back. I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Fang watched her sleeping beauty as her chest rose and dropped with each breath, while her own was powered by a machine. She was no longer breathing for myself; she had no will, no power. It was as if she was bound to another focus in which she could not escape, as if she was condemned to the life of a Cie'th without even having the ability to fight. So badly She wanted to entangle her hands into those soft strawberry locks and kiss her gently on the forehead, and tell her, "It's gonna be okay." So badly, Fang wanted to seep into her dreams like she does every other night, but she needed solitude from her. Lightning needed to find closure, or at least figure out what she was feeling. Fang couldn't be selfish tonight; she couldn't provoke another nightmare where Lightning watches Fang leave her, when all she wants to do is stay by her side. When all she needs Fang to do is be by her side, but she's stuck in this prison of a body. Fang could feel her touch, her gentle breath on her chest, the vibration her neck made as she hummed in her sleep. Fang needed Lightning to feel her touch, to know she was here. She need her to know she was fighting too. She's travelled across the depths of her own imagination, trying to find the switch that will shock her back into reality, but she can't. She needs her help.

Fang left Lightning's side and found herself by Vanille's bedside. "_Was I dead? Or was I imagining everything? Maybe I was in the in-between, not yet dead, but not alive either." _Vanille slept soundly with petite little Serah sleeping in the chair, and Hope was with her as well. Fang heard large footsteps behind her as she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

"Heya Fang, didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Fang whipped around, only to see an overly large sized man with blonde hair. "Snow! How can your dumb ass see me?" Fang exclaimed, waving in Snow's face just to be sure.

He gave Fang a questioning look, "You don't know what happened?" She shrugged helplessly.

"I don't watch everybody you know..."

"Oh that's right, you only watch Light." He winked at Fang, before stretching as if nothing happened. "About two years ago there was a behemoth raid in Oerba while some of us NORA people were trying to repopulate dead areas. Long story short, I got on the wrong side of his claws. Poor Serah was torn to pieces. Not literally like I was, but in the figurative sense."

"Holy shit Snow, you're fucking dead!" "_If he was dead... what the hell was I?"_

He raised an eyebrow at Fang, "Isn't that what I just said? Did I stutter? To answer what you're thinking, you're not dead. Not yet anyways."

"Fantastic," Fang replied sarcastically, " how do I get out of here then?"

He sighed sharply before sitting next to Serah and instinctively tracing a finger down her face, "You have to travel to Valhalla. But you need someone from this side to meet you there and pull you into their realm. The fun part, is telling them that."

Leaning on the wall next to the door, Fang couldn't help but wonder how the hell she was supposed to do that. "Why haven't you gotten Serah to do that?"

Fang spotted a silent tear fall down his face, they both carried so much pain. "They couldn't find my body… if there's no body…"

Fang placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at little Vanille, "I'm sorry Snow."

* * *

><p>"<em>Shortly after, Snow left, said he'd be right there if I needed him. I couldn't believe he was <em>_dead. __The "hero" from our journey that kept me from killing myself on several occasions was dead. And poor little Serah. They had just gotten married, and he went on a routine check up of Oerba. I can't help but thinking if I was awake, I could have helped. He wouldn't be dead. If I fought harder and woke my ass up sooner I could have saved him. I could have saved Serah. I could have saved Lightning... she lost herself when she lost me. And now I was supposed to travel to Valhalla, and somehow tell her this too? How was I supposed to make a connection with her? I can't talk to her, can't touch her. What the fuck Etro, give me some guidance."  
><em>

And as if she heard Fang's prayers (or cursing) the hospital darkened all around her, and she fell once again into the nothingness that surrounds Lightning. "Here we go again..." She whispered.


End file.
